Coin-operated mechanism.



J. J. 001). COIN OPERATED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22 1906.

925,548. Patented June 22,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,.

FIG. FIG. 2.

INVENTOR:

WLTNESSIES: M

J. J. WOOD.

COIN OPERATED MECHANRM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1905.

925,548, Patented June 22, 1909. a sums-sum 2Q FIG. 3

FIG. 4. 7 47 5.

muufl |nsr= 2 a WITNESSES: By Azzorrzeys,

fi-IE NORRIS PETERS cu. .PASnY'WfON. a c

J. J. WOOD.

1 COIN OPERATED MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 190 5.

Patented June 22, 1909.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FIG. /2;

FIG. /3.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES: 04$! zfie nu: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n. c

' so far as concerns the present invention.

box.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. WOOD, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM.

Application filed September 22, 1905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. W001), a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Mechan isms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin boxes or receptacles for receiving the coins which are discharged after having performed their duty in a coin-operated mechanism.

Although applicable to other kinds of coinactuated apparatus, the present invention was specially designed for use with prepayment electric meters. For an understanding of the particular coin-actuated mechanism employed in such meters of my invention, reference is made to my application Serial No. 235,412, filedDecember 3, 1904 (Patented December 5, 1905, No. 806,722.)

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a prepayment electric meter, showing the coin receptacle of my present invention applied to the front thereof. Fig. s a side elevation of the same. The remaining figures are on a larger scale. Fig.

3 is a vertical mid-section through the coin box, the front of the meter casing, and so much of the coin-actuated mechanism as is necessary to show the path of the coin. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the coin box or receptacle, in the plane of the line 44 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the coin receptacle removed. Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections thereof, in the planes of the like numbered lines in Figs. 3 and 5. The remaining figures show details, Fig. 8 being a front and side view of the lock barrel, Fig. 9 a side and end view of the locking head, Fig. 10 a rear view of the lock socket, and Fig. 11 a face view of the fastening piece for the latter. Fig. 12 is a vertical midsection, viewed from the front, of a modified coin Fig. 13 is a vertical midsection thereof viewed from one side.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate as a whole the electric meter or other apparatus to which the coin-actuated mechanism is applied, and let B designate the casing thereof, a fragment of which is shown in section in Fig. 3. The upper portion B of the casing is that part or section thereof which incloses the coin-actuated mechanism. The latter may be of any known or suitable typf Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Serial No. 279,579.

' of the kind set forth in my aforesaid application, it includes a coin-admission slot K, a rotatable coin barrel I having an operating knob or wheel J, and a coin-driven part or spindle H. The barrel I turns in a cylindrical portion B of the casing B When a coin of the prescribed size is introduced, it rests in the position shown by the circle m in Fig. 3, and locks together the barrel I and spindle 11, so that upon the turning of the former, the latter is turned, and communicates motion to the inclosed coin-actuated mechanism. Upon completing a half turn the coin is brought into coincidence with the delivery conduit L, and is dropped or discharged thereinto, and falls therethrough into a coin box or receptacle M which is fastened by a lock N to the casing B.

The present invention relates chiefly to the coin box M. It is desirable that the coin box be constructed to contain a given number of coins with the most compact arrangement. To this end, I construct the coin box so that the entering coins will arrange themselves in it in upright stacks of superposed coins lying in nearly horizontal planes. To this end the box is formed with one or more upright chambers slightly larger transversely than the outline of the prescribed coin, and directly beneath the conduit, so that the falling coins drop therefrom into the chambers, and then fall flatwise one on another to form a com act pile or stack. By this means I am ab e to make a box of a given size hold about twelve .times as many coins as it would receive if coins were dropped in indiscriminately, as is the usual practice in devices of this character. The arran ement of the coins in two stacks is preferable, and for this reason the box M is divided by acentral ooin-divertingmemher or partition a into two vertical chambers or pockets 1) I) each of which is of such size and shape as to be adapted to receive an upright stack of the prescribed coins. The partition on is arranged vertically in the middle of the box, 7

and in line directly beneath the opening in the contracted neck 0 which receives the lower end of the conduit, so that the coins falling through the conduit strike the narrow upper edge of the partition and fall therefrom to either side into the respective pockets. The pockets 1) l) are preferably circular or substantially so in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 7. If more coins chance to fall to one side than the other, so that one pocket fills before theother, the remaining coins will afterward perforce fall into the other pocket, so that when coins to the full capacity of the box have been introduced, both pockets will be filled, and no clogging can occur. If any coin in falling fails to seat itself pro erly, the next coin falling upon it will knoc it down and cause it to drop flatwise against the coins beneath.

In its preferred construction, shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the coin box M of my present in-.

vention is a vertical receptacle occupying a plane substantially coincident with that of the conduit L, as shown in Fig. 2, widened enough to provide suitable capacity for holding the desired number of coins, receiving at its narrowed upper end or neck the bottom of the conduit, and fitting flat against the front face of the casing, and securely fastened thereto by a suitable look. This construction is especially adapted for those meters which are of considerable height, so that it would be disadvantageous to apply the coin box beneath the casing according to the arrangement shown in my aforesaid application. By reason of the coin box occupying the same vertical plane as the conduit, the coins fall directly downward into the box, instead of being directed backwardly so as to enter it in a substantially horizontal direction. To empty the box, it is unlocked and removed from the casing, and by inverting it to an oblique position with its rear side downward, the coins will fall out through a discharging hole at provided in the rear of the box, and preferably above the upper edge of the partition a, this hole being enough larger than the prescribed coins to freely discharge them. Vi hen the box is in place, this hole is closed by contact with the front of the casing (Fig. 3). To form a firm seat for the coin box against the casing, the box has a rearward flange c, which extends back to and seats against the casing, the latter being formed with a rib c (Fig. 3) to embrace this flange and prevent the insertion of any tool between by which to pry off the coin box.

The lock N is, as in my former construction, a barrel-lock of the pin-tumbler type. Its barrel 30, which is slotted in the usual manner to receive the key, turns in a socket 29 in the coin box, being arranged horizontally from front to rear, its front being exposed to receive the key, while its rear end projects beyond the rear face of the coin box and has fastened on it a locking head 42, which engages a socket 45 fastened to the casing B (see Fig. 3). The locking head 42 has an elliptical projection 43 which enters through an elliptical hole 44 (compare Figs. 9 and 10) in the socket 45, so that by giving the barrel a quarter turn from its unlocked to its locked position the projection stands across the hole and locks the parts together, as shown in Fig. 3. The head 42 may be fastened on the spindle 30 by driving a pin transversely through coinciding holes. To compensate for variations in the castings, it is important that the socket 45 be adjustable in the casing B, and to this end it is externally threaded, and screws into a threaded hole in the casing. To look it in any position to which it is adjusted, it is engaged by a locking piece 46, Fig. 11, fastened by a screw 47 and having cars 48 turned down from t and engaging screw-driver notches formed in the socket 45. To limit the turning movements of the barrel 30, the head 42 is partly cut away on one side (Fig. 9) to form shoulders engaging a stop pin 49 driven into the coin box (Fig. 5). The lock N thus described, or any equivalent locking means, is applied in any convenient location with respect to the coin box. It is preferable, however, to locate it in a widened portion of the partit on a, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The partition is narrow at its upper edge, and widens gradually downward until it is of sufficient width to provide material for forming the socket 29. This socket is located high enough to afford room beneath it in the partition for drilling vertically the chambers 37 for the pin tumblers 33 with their springs. These are drilled upwardly from beneath, and are closed by driving a pin 38 through a horizontal hole intersecting them. This arrangement brings the lock into the middle of the box, and high enough to make it suitably symmetrical.

The holesf 7 are not essential, being formed by the supports for the core used in casting. They are too small to permit a coin to enter them. The coin box is preferably attached at its neck 0 to the lower end of the tube forming the conduit L, so that, when the box is unlocked and removed, the conduit comes with it. This, however, is not a necessary feature of construction.

The principal features of my invention are applicable to a coin box which is arranged beneath the casing, and in which the coins are built up in stacks. Such a construction is shown in Figs. 12 and 13. In these figures the coin box is shown as arranged in the same position as in my aforesaid appl cation, the coin-discharge conduit L, which is arranged in front of the casing, entering a curved e1- bow L formed integrally with the com box, and which throws the coin rearwardly mto the coin box. The latter is divided, as in the construction already described, by a middle partition a into two compartments or pockets b b in which the coins are stacked. The partition on is arranged in the path of the com, being in the same plane as the branch or elbow L, so that the coins thrown back by this elbow roll along the top edge of the partition and fall therefrom into one or another of the pockets. In this construction the lock has its barrel arranged vertically, its socket being formed in the rear wall of the box. The

socket screws into the bottom of the easing B. The only change in the lock is in the arrangement and proportions, its essential construction and its operation being unaltered. The lock is no longer housed in the partition, but in the rearwall of the box, the key being inserted upwardly from beneath. It is preferable to drill a hole 39 through the lock socket and barrel, through which hole may be inserted the wire of a seal to prevent tampering with the look.

It is to be understood that my invention is capable of considerable modification without departing from its essential features. Where I have referred to the portion of the casing B to which the coin box is applied as the front, it will be understood that this term does not exclude such rearrangement as would apply the box to any of the vertical sides of the casing, any such other side being in such case to be understood as the front,

within the meaning of my present specification.

I do not herein claim those features of the coin box, conduit, and lock, which are claimed in my application Serial N 0. 279,466, filed September 21, 1905 (Patent No. 849,447, dated April 9, 1907) the same being a division of my aforesaid application 235,412.

I claim as my invention 1. A box for coins, having a vertical coinchute through which the coins fall, a coindiverting member located vertically beneath the chute to be struck by the coins falling therethrouglnwhereby to arrest their fall and hold them poised until they tip and again fall to either side thereof, and forming pockets in said box, said pockets shaped as upright chambers conforming approximately to the shape of the coins and adapted to receive the coins diverted from said member and to dispose them compactly in vertical stacks.

2. A coin-box having a vertical coin-chute and a central coin-diverting member forming upright pockets in said box, said member located vertically beneath said chute to arrest the coins falling therethrough, and hold them poised until they tip and again fall to either side thereof, and having beveled sides adapted to direct the coins into said pockets, and the pockets adapted to receive the coins and to dispose them in compact stacks.

3. A coin-box and a vertical casing, the coin-box having a coin-chute and a coin-diverting member and located directly beneath said chute, and a lock for fastening the coinbox against the front of said casing, the box having a coin-discharging opening in its back which is normally closed by said casing.

4. A coin-box combined with a casing, and a lock for fastening the box against said casing, comprising an oscillatable barrel turning in the coin-box and a socket entered and engaged by said barrel having a screw engagement with said casing, whereby it is adjustable relatively to said barrel, and a holding piece for fastening it after adjustment adapted to prevent its turning.

5. A coin-box combined with a casing, and a lock for fastening the box against said casing, comprising an oscillatable barrel turning in the coin-box and a socket entered and engaged by said barrel having a screw engagement with said casing, whereby it is adjustable relatively to said barrel, and having notches for turning it, and a holding piece having means for fastening it and having projections entering said notches to prevent the turning of said socket.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. WOOD.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A. BARNES, A. A. SERVA. 

